Nooka Designing Time Book
Last updated: 5 October 2026
The Nooka Designing Time book is a 200-page A4 retrospective of NOOKA, the watch and accessories brand founded by designer Matthew Waldman. Paola Antonelli of MoMA in New York writes the introduction. On 5 October 2026 NOOKA was selling the hardcover direct for ¥8,000, which it estimates at about $54, with the soft cover sold out.
What the Nooka Designing Time book is
The full title is Designing Time: How NOOKA Changed the Way We Saw the Future. SAN-Q LLC, a design lab in Tokyo, produced it and owns the NOOKA trademark.
The book started life on Kickstarter. The campaign ran from 2 December 2022 to 16 January 2023, and 109 backers pledged ¥2,014,934 against a ¥2,000,000 goal. After that, the first print run sold out, so a second hardcover edition followed, due to ship in November 2024.
What is inside
- The archive: original sketches, renders, photos and process images, including projects that never went into production.
- The story: how the brand began, how it grew, and its effect on 2000s fashion.
- The products: the watches, plus pieces such as the STRIP belt and NOOKA's futuristic sunglasses.
- The thinking: Waldman's design philosophy, which NOOKA calls "Mindstyle", and his view that "the future should not look like the past".
Key facts
- Price: ¥8,000 for the hardcover from NOOKA on 5 October 2026, estimated at $54
- Format: hardcover, with the soft cover sold out
- Pages: 200
- Size: A4, 210 x 297mm
- Printing: printed in Japan with eco-friendly inks and paper
- Introduction: Paola Antonelli, Museum of Modern Art
- Seller: SAN-Q LLC, shipping from Japan
Who the book suits
- Designers and UX people: the book shows how NOOKA rethought the way we read time.
- NOOKA fans: it collects years of material in one place, including the unmade ideas.
- Anyone who missed the Kickstarter: the hardcover is still on sale direct, even though the first run went.
For a longer verdict, read our Nooka Designing Time review, where Tristan gives it 4/5.
The limits
The price is in yen. NOOKA says the amount on your card can vary with exchange rates, so the final sterling cost depends on your card.
Shipping comes from Japan, and the delivery charge only appears at checkout. Also, the shipping note on NOOKA's page still says copies should ship by October 2023, which is out of date.
The soft cover is sold out. As a result, the hardcover is the only edition on sale.
We could not find a UK bookshop or Amazon UK listing, so buying direct is the route we know works.
Where to buy the Nooka Designing Time book in the UK
Buy it from the NOOKA book page, where the United Kingdom is one of the delivery countries at checkout. Payments go to SAN-Q LLC, which is the name on your card statement. For customer service, NOOKA uses a contact form, and replies come from a san-q.co.jp address.
FAQs
How much is the Nooka Designing Time book?
On 5 October 2026 NOOKA listed the hardcover at ¥8,000, which it estimates at about $54. Shipping from Japan is extra.
Does NOOKA ship the book to the UK?
Yes. The United Kingdom is one of the delivery countries in NOOKA's checkout, and orders ship from Japan.
Is the soft cover still available?
No. NOOKA lists the soft cover as sold out, so the hardcover is the only version on sale.
Who wrote the introduction?
Paola Antonelli of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
How many pages is it?
200 pages, in A4 format, printed in Japan.
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